1/2/07 10 a.m. Holy Communion

Mark 6:⁷ Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. ⁸ These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. ¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." ¹² They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³ They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Jesus sent his disciples out with his authority to minister in his name. He told them to rely on God to provide and not on material things such as bread, a bag, money or an extra tunic.

I thought how relevant this is to the news story this week of the Super Casino that is to be built in Manchester.

Casinos are driven by avarice. The owners want the punters' money. The punters want the big prize which they think will transform their life and make them happy.

The punters, although not the owners of the casino !, rely upon chance. Gambling odds do vary according to activity. For example, the payout on a slot machine is 600/1 compared to roulette at 36/1 or the National Lottery (getting all six numbers) at just less than 14m/1.

The bookmaking industry accounts for the largest amount staked in the UK. Gaming machines, the National Lottery, casinos and then bingo follow in that order.

73% of people take part in the National Lottery.

The total money exchanged for chips in British casinos during the year 2004/05 was £4,258m, an increase of £85m on the year before. The attendance at casinos also rose just over 3.5% to 12.3m visits for the same period. The industry employs 15,300 people in 138 casinos and pays £157m in revenues to the treasury.

Those who spend a greater proportion of their income on gambling, for example the National Lottery, are often the ones who are less able to afford it. For many poor people who are living a life of despair, gambling offers a hope, an escapism in a culture of increasing consumer desires.

This contrasts with the way of God. We are called to trust in God and to be satisfied with his provision for us. We are not to covet, the National Lottery is based upon coveting other people's money. We are not to worship idols such as money, fame, and power.

1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

This was posted on the Gamblers Anonymous web site eleven days ago, 21 January 2007...

My name is Steve and for the last two years I have been an on-line compulsive gambler. Poker was first then fruit machines. I feel I have totally ruined my life and that of my family as well with my gambling.

I knew I had a problem about 9 months ago and went to G.A. only once as work commitments meant I could not attend. I went to my doctors for some counselling help but they had not come across a compulsive gambler before so no help there. I just came home and carried on gambling basically losing just over a six figure sum, not bad for some one only earning a modest salary.

Anyway I now have a big mortgage, big secured loan and tens of thousands of loan and credit card debt. I am on a debt management plan which helps. My main problem is the guilt of what I've done. My wife knows what I've done as does my mum. She has bailed me out many times before and I have let her down. My wife has five pounds a week spending money as after bills there's no money left. Also in the last 2 years of gambling I've noticed what a very good liar I had become to my family and my creditors. Anyway I did install a program to stop gambling as I have only ever gambled on-line. It seems to work for me. Anyway if you have only just started gambling recently please stop now before it's too late and you end up like me a loser and no respect.

Jesus offers a way out to those who are addicted to gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex, money, possessions, shopping, power...

Jesus has defeated sin and offers that power to those who trust him. The disciples discovered that when they went out in his name with little else to rely upon and healed the sick and drove out demons.

We are to stand up for God's ways against a government which allows people to indulge themselves in drinking and gambling.

We are to draw alongside and help those who are enslaved by the liberalization of the drinking and gambling laws.

See the Church of England report, from which my statistics are taken from at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/ethical/policystatements/gambling.pdf